The Bee, The Mountain Lion and The Roadrunner

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And what dos this have to do with Yoga?  Well, everything has to do with Yoga, if you ask me. Feel free to connect the dots, if you see any.  Okay, I was riding my motorcycle to go hiking the day before Thanksgiving and yes I had my helmet on and yes I had my face shield down and NO, I was not wearing flip-flops this time.  I'm enjoying the ride at about 50 mph when WHAM, something stings my face.  Shocked that I didn't crash at this point and every hair on my body sticking up, I glance in the side mirror.  There is something black stuck to my face! Now, as my sister will tell you, I am the wimpiest tough girl she knows.  Trying not to wreck, I breath deeply and focus.  I take my hand under my face shield and swat away the black creature.  It doesn't move.  Shit!  My eyes focus back on the road- breath Pam, breath.  I need this thing off my face-NOW.  My hand returns under the helmet.  I touch it and swat harder. It falls away.  By now, the pain is radiating down my cheek and jaw, hairs all over body at full attention.  I drive the next two miles to the recreation center trying only to concentrate on my breath and the road.  I make it to the parking spot and quickly pull of my helmet.  Looking into the mirror again, I see a white mark on my cheek. WTF?  I go to remove what I think is pus and grab hold of the stinger that had found a comfortable home deep inside my jaw muscle.  I drop it to the pavement and head to the ranger station where the nice Ranger Rick listens patiently to my story, tells a joke about how you can tell a happy motorcyclist (when he smiles you count the bugs in his teeth!) and dabs Neosporin on my  finger and then gently guides my finger to the sore spot. I thank him and head out for my hike. Six days later that little Son of a Bee is still with me, deep in my now relaxed jaw.


 
The Mountain Lion







About a mile into the hike, with the warm Tucson sun replacing the chill bumps from the sting, I see the above sign.  If I hadn't just hiked this route in the last week, I would have assumed that they just kept it up all the time to keep the hikers on their toes.  But it wasn't there a few days ago.  I stop, take a picture and think to myself, "what are the chances?"  Probably the same as having a bee fly into the 1/8 of an inch exposure between my face shield and my chin!

The Road Runner

 Despite the hazards of the great outdoors, I enjoy a leisurely stroll up the mountain (it was my off day for training).   A few trees in the dessert had started to turn yellow-who knew?  I actually saw water in the few places where there had previously only been sand.  A first.  I descend the mountain and see something scurry across my path.  I wondered what it was but it moved too fast.  I continue on.   Ahead, three guys are stopped on the path and looking towards the brush.  I see it and move closer.  "What is that?" I ask.  "A Road Runner," they say in unison with big smiles across their faces.  "Cool," I say and wonder if they too are thinking about childhood cartoons.  Another first.   

I head home in time to arrive at 4th Avenue Yoga to teach my first official Yoga class since receiving my certification 15 months ago.  It goes well.  I am ready for more.       

















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